Delineates the types of decisions involved in the preservation of library collections and suggests decision-making structures and criteria for each type of decision. The information gaps which limit the ability to make intelligent preservation decisions are also discussed. (Author/JL)

Collection use study is a must if research collections are to meet scholarly needs while competing for scarce financial resources. Such studies will be in harmony with the realities under which academic libraries must operate in the future. (RAA)

Presents a model of the relation between the circulation at a large library, the collection at that library, and the size of the user population. Analysis of data at United States academic research libraries reveals a square-root law describing this relation. Explores theoretical foundations and speculates on bibliometric implications. (Author/AEF)

This report is based in part on an analysis of current preservation practices and of the 1988-89 Association of Research Libraries (ARL) Preservation Statistics. It includes discussion of the 10 components of a comprehensive preservation program to which library administrators must give attention. Organizational models for mature preservation…

A survey of the collections of the libraries at the State University College at Buffalo (New York) was conducted to determine the physical condition of books and bound periodicals. The methodology of prior surveys at Yale (Connecticut) and Syracuse (New York) Universities was used and the following hypotheses were tested: (1) the methodology used…

This addendum is designed to compensate for Altick's omission of materials by or about black writers in "The Art of Literary Research" and to identify some of the most outstanding public, university, and private library holdings in the United States on American blacks, as well as major Afro-American collections. Major public library…

This essay outlines the development, present condition, and future direction of the 20,000-volume Polish research collection at Alliance College, located in Cambridge Springs, Pennsylvania. Alliance College was founded in 1912 by the Polish National Alliance (PNA), a life insurance fraternal organization. In 1931 its entire library collection was…

Materials in this collection were submitted by respondents to a survey which sought specific data on the numbers and types of approval plans in Association of Research Libraries (ARL) libraries, whether such plans are meeting expectations, their relative importance in the library, who makes the key decisions, and the kind of thought and study that…

The minutes of the October 26-27, 1977 meeting of the Association of Research Libraries (ARL) include the texts of the following presentations on collection development and analysis in research libraries: "A Faculty View of Library Collection Development," Harry J. Dell; "Issues Encountered in the Collection Analysis Project,"…

The 105 institution libraries of the Association of Research Libraries (ARL) now have over 238 million volumes in their collections, employ 35,000 personnel, and spent over $625 million in 1976-77 to support their programs. Additional data presented in this report include (1) statistical tables for each member concerning its collections,…

This summary sheet of a survey administered to government documents librarians during visits to 17 large research libraries throughout the United States in 1977 presents the tabulated responses to each question on a copy of the survey instrument. The questions were intended to gain knowledge of present library facilities and collections so the…

A list of standards was adopted by the Association of College and Research Libraries. It was intended to apply to college libraries serving academic programs at the bachelors and masters degree levels. Standards are presented for the major library functions, as follows: (1) objectives; (2) collections; (3) organization of materials; (4) staff; (5)…

This second annual statistical summary presents 1975-1976 data on the library collections, interlibrary loans, expenditures, and personnel of the 105 university and nonuniversity members of the Association of Research Libraries (ARL). Separate tables present figures on university enrollment, expenditures, Ph.D. degrees, and microform holdings by…

Sketches author's views of the Center for Research Libraries (CRL), a cooperative library owned by over 100 academic and research libraries, and considers possible future directions. Growth and expansion, center services and collections, challenges to be met (commitment, resource sharing, goals), and CRL as model for academic world are discussed.…

Discusses the development of a research library at Rice University, whose first and only library building is less than 40 years old, highlighting the founding of the University in 1912, the Fondren Library building, library collections and cooperation, fee-based services, automation and the future, and problems and prospects. (EJS)